The U.S. can’t stop Coronavirus by banning flights from Ireland. You should know this.
The spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus in Ireland and other banned parts of Europe are at most two weeks ahead of the U.S., probably much less because Ireland (population 5 million) has tested more people than the entire United States. (population 330 million.) South Korea tests more people in one day than the U.S. has since the beginning of this outbreak.
First of all, anyone who believes Covid-19 is a media conspiracy should know that Ireland cancelled St. Patrick’s day parades, closed pubs, schools, day care centers and is considering further actions. Parts of Spain and Italy are on lockdown with many people unable to leave their homes. China shortened Chinese New Year, Venice cancelled Carnival, the pope gives his mass via television to an empty St. Peter’s square. Thousands of people have died. No, this wasn’t a political trick to make anyone look bad. And borders, walls, and immigration policy are a political delay and distraction, not an inoculation. Viruses don’t carry visas, they don’t care about the color of your skin or how much money you have. They can slip over a wall or through a HEPA filter as easily as a cat gets through a hedge. As of the beginning of the European travel ban, computational biologist Trevor Bedford estimated that approximately eighteen times as many new infections come from within the U.S. compared to newly introduced via flights from Europe. President Trump’s strategy was like a firefighter who turned off his firehose to focus on stopping people from bringing matches into a raging forest fire.
Now for the good news. Each one of us can do our part to slow the spread and keep ourselves healthy. First here is an overview from Ireland’s Health Authority: https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/
And here is some of my own observations:
Avoid being a carrier:
- Stay a yard or more away from anyone whenever possible
- Buy at small local shops (fewer people shop there and you’ll be helping them stay in business
- Order carry out
- Have groceries delivered
- Don’t hoard toilet paper
- Don’t hoard money (didn’t your parents warn “money is dirty?”)
- Don’t hoard anything (pretend you’re in a Maeve Binchy novel and everyone is gossiping about you, their selfish neighbor)
- If you have a hoard of TP or whatever, share with a neighbor or trade for a 6 pack of Corona.
- Wash your hands, wear gloves and mask if you are a high risk profession (nurse, doctor, shopkeeper, barber, dentist, garbage collector, cleaner, taxi driver, bus driver…)
- Understand that people are risking their health and families for your comfort — help them if you can, pay them more of what they deserve (after laundering your dirty money)
- Help your neighbors
- Shop late in the day to avoid contact with elderly
- If you have any symptoms, stay home.
- If you have symptoms and they get worse, call your doctor to evaluate whether you should be tested.
Understand that we’re all in this together, people are about to learn that self-sufficiency, self-made man, rugged individualist are myths. Anyone wishing to “go back” to this should read up on middle ages history, read “Year of Wonders” by Geraldine Brooks and understand that what you’re aiming for is even less interdependent than the middle ages. You’re aiming for the stone age.
Stay healthy:
- Eat healthy (avoid salad bars but freshly rinsed fruit & vegetables are okay.)
- Don’t smoke or vape
- Avoid aspirin and ibuprofen
- Exercise
- Avoid fatty foods and overeating. (If you’re prone to reflux it is now certain that this can contribute to coughs and breathing difficulties)
- See also “Avoid being a carrier”
